Has Your Home Sold Yet? Why Not?

There are a few good reasons why your home hasn't sold yet.

1. It hasn't been on the market long enough. It takes a little while for your property listing to create some excitement for buyers who are looking. Buyers may see your listing the first time it gets advertised, or, they might see it in the Home Guide a week or two later when they pick up the next issue. Give it some time.

2. Your agent didn't mention the necessity to de-clutter your home and brighten it up a bit. I have been in homes where each bedroom has boxes packed and stacked up to the ceiling, and all you could see was boxes. In the hallways and around the kitchen table are more boxes and shelves full of all kinds of belongings. Sellers, remember this solid tip, Buyers don't want to see your belongings, they want to see the incredible amount of space you have. That's what sells. De-clutter and turn on all the lights! If you have a home that is dark inside, go buy some bright lamps, then leave them with the house when it sells so the buyers will have the same brightly lit home they bought.

3. The price is way over market value, and everybody knows it, buyers and their agents, who use your house as a "comparison shopping" house to help their buyers purchase the less expensive house that is similar to yours. Listen to your real estate agent and know what the market value is TODAY, because that is really how often the market changes. Tell your agent to be brutally honest with you, even if you think you might not like what you are going to hear. Over in a suburb of Seattle, the market has been changing wildly. A couple of the listings there fluctuated in value by hundreds of thousands of dollars over a four-month period of time, and the sellers decided to remove their homes from the market for awhile until the market stabilizes again. So, keep up with market values around you.

God bless and good luck!

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Quote of the day: ""A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams."-- Unknown

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Connie Suehiro, Realtor(r)

Call 509-431-5804 (for selling or buying real estate,

or my free list of homes in Grant County)

Gary Mann Real Estate

305 E. Third Ave.

Moses Lake, WA 98837

99 Homes Under $180,000 in Moses Lake

Testimonial: "Enjoyed the way agent Connie Suehiro handled the listing and quick sale of the property. She did a great job. Thank you."
- Mr. and Mrs. Blanton
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Quote of the month: If dandelions were hard to grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn. ~Andrew Mason
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By the way, if you enjoy this blog and my customer service, and think a friend would enjoy it too, pass it along. I love referrals. That’s how I stay in business, working with great clients like you!

509-431-5804 direct
Connie Suehiro, Realtor(r)
Gary Mann Real Estate

How To Have a Win-Win Transaction

No transaction goes perfectly smooth. So, what can you do to minimize the rough spots and come to the closing table with a "Win-Win" transaction?

First of all, make sure you're working with a Realtor(r) who has a high degree of integrity and honesty. Ask your friends or co-workers if they have heard of the Realtor(r) you are considering. Get a referral.

When you have found the house of your dreams, that is, it's one that fits your criteria of the number of bedrooms, bathroom, size, location, and your financial picture, ask your Realtor(r) for a recommendation on what price to offer. There are several terms involved in the purchase of a home. The price is just one. Other terms include the amount of the earnest money. I recommend earnest money of a minimum of $500 for every $100,000 of the purchase price. This shows the seller how "earnest" you are.

Suppose you want to buy a house for $200,000, but you want to put down an earnest money of only $500? Put yourself in the seller's shoes. The seller's monthly payment on the mortgage is approximately $800 - $1,200. Is your $500 earnest money going to look appealing to the seller when they have a monthly payment to make, AND they are chomping at the bit to buy another home? Not too likely. Make the earnest money appealing to the seller by offering at least $1,000 or more if you can afford it. If you can't afford it, can you afford to buy a house at that price?

Another term involved in making an offer includes which title company to use and what escrow company to use. Sometimes, they are the same company. If you have bought a home before and have a preference for a certain title company in town, you may have the option to use them again as long as the listing agent hasn't already opened preliminary title at a different title company. Otherwise, it will be your responsibility, according to the Purchase and Sale Agreement, to pay the cancellation fee. This ranges from $45 to $65, depending on the title company.

Back to the price. Let's say you did your homework ahead of time by going to a lender to find out what you can afford and are comfortable paying for. If you are financially comfortable buying a $200,000 home, let your Realtor(r) know that, and she will look for homes in that price range. But don't do it backwards and ask your Realtor(r) to look for homes in the $200,000 price range and then find out what you can afford. You may end up finding your dream home is out of your price range, then only be able to offer $165,000. This is not looking like a "win-win" transaction.

So, take the steps to prepare for a win-win transaction, so you won't be surprised with the results!

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Quote of the Day: "If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive." ~Eleonora Duse

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For a list of homes in your price range, call me at 509-431-5804. I look forward to talking with you!

Connie Suehiro, Realtor(r)

509-431-5804

Market Value vs. Appraisal

What is the difference between the market value of your house and an appraisal?

The difference is that an appraisal will tell you the market value of your home, according to a licensed appraiser.

Are you planning on selling your home? Is it a manufactured home, or a stick built home? Do you have lake frontage? Acreage or a city lot? Outbuildings? A shed or a shop? These various additions make a difference in the market value as well.

Homes on the water were selling relatively well last year, but with the panic of the nation's housing loans going under, owners going into foreclosure because of various loan circumstances, and lenders' loan programs going underwater because, hey, underwriters are people who panic too, it is harder to sell a home on the water. It is harder to sell homes. Period.

However, that doesn't mean it's time to give up! This merely means that it's important to listen to your Realtor(r) (and Realtors, listen up...) and make sure that you get an accurate (or updated) Comparable Market Analysis, a CMA. The CMA comps (comparable homes that have SOLD) are going to be quite similar to the comps the bank's appraiser is going to pull up in order to determine what your buyer's loan amount will be (not including the cash he might have to come up with... that will make it harder to buy (or sell) your home).

Simply put, if the Realtor(r) and appraiser come up with the same or similar market value for a home, it's most likely that a bank will loan the money to a buyer. If the Realtor and Seller's price is inflated, then we're going to have an abundance of buyers who are not going to be able to afford to buy a house, including the one you may desire to sell. So, let's price it accordingly or maybe even a little lower than market value so that you'll have lots of offers knocking on your door.

Happy selling!

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QUOTE OF THE DAY: "The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man." ~Author Unknown

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For Sale:

20 acres in Othello: $80,000

5 acres vacant property on Neppel Road (coming up next week)

2.2 acres and a 2968 square foot, 5-bedroom home with space for animals, irrigated pasture, and an oversized swingset: $209,000

PRICE REDUCED: 1404 square foot, 3-bedroom, 2-bath manufactured home on the lake, 1.02 acres, huge deck, dock, fishing, waterfront property, fully fenced, approximately 1,100 square foot (immaculate) shop, one car garage, two sheds, expansive view of the lake below: $390,000. 5108 Shorecrest.

110.9 acres of recreational property in Grand Coulee on Springs Canyon Road, overlooking Lake Roosevelt: $425,000, two parcels and a manufactured home on the land (as is).

Home with a POOL. $165,000, over 2,000 square feet, right off of highway 17, 3-bedroom, 1 3/4 bath, bonus room, fireplace, being sold AS IS. In foreclosure. 1040 Clover

NEEDS:

Several homes out in the country, a little older, with older growth trees, 3-4 bedrooms, with just a little bit of acreage (.5 to 3 acres). One of my clients prefers a large kitchen for doing her canning.

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For a free list of homes available for sale in Moses Lake, call 509-431-5804.

SHOWCASE OF HOMES - Sat. April 12

You are invited to our Gary Mann Real Estate Showcase of Homes on Saturday April 12 from Noon to 3pm. Several of our Open Homes are on Astor Loop. That's where I'll get to meet you in one of the homes I'm hosting. Come have a snack with me! Tour our beautiful homes with many personal touches designed with the home buyer with exquisite tastes in mind. That's you!

For a complete list of our Tour of Showcase of Homes, look on the back of the Columbia Basin Herald, or stop by our office at 305 E. Third Avenue in Moses Lake for a Tour Guide copy, with a map included.

See you Saturday!

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For a list of homes in your price range, call 509-431-5804.

Thinking of Selling?

You may be thinking of hiring a real estate agent to help you sell your home. What are the things you are hiring your agent for? Here are some items you may want to think about:

You hire your agent to be up front and honest with you.
Your hire your agent for an accurate Market Analysis to price your home at a reasonable sales price.
You hire your agent to advertise your home for sale.
You hire her to help with offers that come in.
You expect her to have some open houses for you.
You expect her to let the buyer's agent know all the details that you provide in the 5-page Seller's Disclosure form so there are few unanswered questions at the closing table.
You hire your agent to help you find the most accurate market value of your home.
You hire your agent to price it right the first time, not to overprice it.

Here are some expectations your agent will have for you:
Your trust and loyalty.
Your availability so that when an offer comes in, you're there to answer the phone and view the documents.
You talk with one another on a regular basis, at least once a week if not more.
You de-clutter your home and make it a product to sell, not just a home anymore.
You complete your 5-page Seller's Disclosure statement as soon as possible, and as accurately as possible.
You price your home at an accurate market price.
You come with the understanding that if you overprice your home, you will end up getting less than if you would have priced it right in the beginning.
Your hire your agent for an accurate Market Analysis to price your home at a reasonable sales price. (Yes, this is listed twice.)

Don't get me wrong. You might think that I'm driving the "accurate price" a little hard, but there are too many sellers out there who set their sales price up too high so they can see if they can get a high offer, and what ends up happening is that they don't get ANY offers, their house sits on the market without even one showing by other agents, the agent ends up spending hundreds of dollars on marketing, their house becomes a "comparison" house for other accurately-priced homes, and then when the listing finally expires, the seller goes away mad because she felt like the agent didn't do her job. Well, to tell you the truth, the agent didn't do her job because she allowed an overpriced listing to go on the market and wasted her client's time and her own time and money trying to sell a home that is overpriced.

So, thinking of selling?

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FOR SALE:
1. 20 acres in Othello on Hays Rd, off of WA26: $80,000

2. 2,968 square foot house, five large bedrooms, bonus room, two fireplaces, oversized swingset, privacy, 2.2 acres on Rd 2 SE, Moses Lake (fenced for livestock): $209,000

3. 1,404 square foot, 3 bedroom home right on Moses Lake, 1 acre, large immaculate shop, huge deck, dock, great fishing, privacy, one car garage, two sheds, fully fenced with entry gate, sweeping views of the lake, on Shorecrest Road: $425,000

4. 2,338 square foot, 3 bedroom home near Chief Moses Middle School at 1040 Clover Drive, in-ground pool, fenced back yard, tri-level, bonus room downstairs, fireplace, large open kitchen and dining room area, semi-covered patio: $165,000

5. 110.9 acres in Grand Coulee with 4-5 potential buildable lots (buyer to verify), overlooking Lake Roosevelt, with a spring acres overlooking Lake Roosevelt. 1993 Liberty mobile home 28x40 w/no value attached. Two land parcels. Sweeping view of Lake Roosevelt. Very secluded. Road access & easement. Zoned recreational. Several fruit trees. Deer, rabbits, wild turkeys, pheasants in lawn around home. Faucets in yard - hoses to rainbirds: $425,000.

NEED:
1. Acreage between Othello and Royal City with water rights.

2. Country home with an acre or two, 3 bedroom, a place to raise pigs and rabbits, at least 1600 square feet.

$95 million in home sales in Grant County

I enjoy getting statistics of home sales. Here is a short summary of statistics of residential sales and residential land sales in Grant County from the Grant County Assessor's website. (Click on the title above for the complete summary.)

2007
Over $95 million in residential sales.
Over $17 million in resident land sales

2006
Over $98 million in residential sales
Over $20 million in residential land sales

2005
Over $77 million in residential sales
Over $20 million in residential land sales

We're up $18 million from two years ago in residential sales, with this year's average home sales price at $195,453.

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Call 509-431-5804 for a free emailed list of homes in the Moses Lake area. As of this date, there are 95 homes under $195,000 and 180 homes over $195,000.
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Quote of the day: Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways at the last minute, champagne in one hand, strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO - That was Fun!” - Anon


Connie Suehiro, Realtor
Gary Mann Real Estate
305 E. Third Ave
Moses Lake, WA 98837
homes@iglide.net
509-431-5804 DIRECT